Agnes of God (1985) Ending Explained
tl;dr: Agnes of God (1985) ends with a haunting ambiguity as Agnes, a novice nun accused of killing her newborn baby, seemingly levitates before disappearing from her hospital room. The film leaves unresolved whether Agnes was truly a divine conduit, mentally ill, or a victim of trauma and cover-ups. The final scenes suggest a supernatural possibility while also emphasizing the psychological and moral conflicts faced by psychiatrist Dr. Martha Livingston and Mother Superior Miriam Ruth. The ending challenges viewers to question faith, innocence, and institutional power, refusing a neat resolution.
Detailed Explanation of the Ending
The climax of Agnes of God revolves around the unresolved mystery of Agnes's pregnancy and the death of her infant. Dr. Martha Livingston, a skeptical psychiatrist, is tasked with determining whether Agnes (a devout, childlike nun) is criminally responsible or mentally ill. Throughout the film, Agnes claims the baby was "of God" and that she has no memory of the birth or its death. The final act intensifies as Martha uncovers suppressed memories of Agnes's traumatic childhood and possible sexual abuse, while Mother Miriam Ruth, the convent's leader, insists Agnes is a vessel for divine intervention.
In the penultimate scene, Martha hypnotizes Agnes, hoping to extract the truth. Under hypnosis, Agnes reenacts the birth and implies she may have strangled the baby with its umbilical cord, though her words are fragmented and dreamlike. This moment blurs the line between repressed trauma and religious ecstasy. Immediately after, Agnes is returned to her hospital room, where she is later found missing, with only her nightgown left behind. A nurse claims to have seen Agnes "floating" out the window, a moment filmed with ethereal ambiguity.
The film's ending refuses to confirm whether Agnes's disappearance is a miracle (suggesting her divine nature) or a tragic escape rooted in mental illness. Mother Miriam accepts Agnes's fate as proof of God's will, while Martha is left grappling with her own shaken atheism. The final shot of Martha alone in Agnes's empty room underscores the film's central tension: the clash between empirical truth and spiritual belief. The open-ended conclusion forces the audience to sit with uncomfortable questions about faith, guilt, and the unknowable.
Unresolved Questions & Possible Answers
- Was Agnes's baby truly "of God," or was it the result of abuse?
- Divine intervention: Agnes's purity and the levitation scene suggest a miraculous conception.
- Trauma: The film hints at abuse by Agnes's stepfather, implying a repressed pregnancy.
- Did Agnes kill the baby, or was it stillborn?
- Unintentional: Under hypnosis, Agnes may have acted instinctively in a panicked state.
- Supernatural: The baby's death could be part of a divine plan beyond human understanding.
- What happened to Agnes at the end?
- Miracle: She ascended bodily to heaven, as Mother Miriam believes.
- Escape: She fled in a dissociative state, with the "levitation" being a delusion or metaphor.
Personal Opinion on the Ending & Film
Agnes of God is a masterclass in psychological and spiritual ambiguity. The ending succeeds because it refuses to cater to easy answers, instead lingering in the discomfort of doubt. Jane Fonda's Martha represents rationalism, Anne Bancroft's Miriam embodies faith, and Meg Tilly's Agnes is the unknowable middle ground-both victim and saint. The film's power lies in its ability to make the audience question their own assumptions about truth and belief. However, the lack of resolution may frustrate viewers seeking clarity. I appreciate the boldness of the ending, as it mirrors real-life complexities where trauma and faith often defy neat explanations. The cinematography and performances elevate the material, making the ambiguity feel profound rather than cheap.
Ultimately, Agnes of God is a meditation on the limits of human understanding. Whether Agnes was a miraculous figure or a traumatized young woman, the film forces us to confront how institutions (religious, medical, or judicial) attempt to impose narratives on mysteries they cannot fully comprehend. The ending's unresolved tension ensures the story lingers long after the credits roll.